When mindful awareness is practiced we begin along the path home to ourselves. Home is inside each of us. It requires only being alone with your breathing. The path home begins with your breath. Try the practice of mindful breathing.

When you breathe in, you come back to yourself. When you breathe out, you release tension. The way in is the way out. Start by breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth slowly, effortlessly in cycles of about 5 seconds. This focuses attention on what we are feeling in the present moment. Mindful breathing promotes communication between the mind and the body, the bridge between the two. This practice can be done anywhere at anytime throughout the day. We can say:

Breathing in. I know I am breathing in

Breathing out, I know I am breathing out

“Even if you only stop and focus on your breathing for a few breaths, or for a minute or two, it’s very valuable”.

(Thich Nhat Hanh-Information fromThe Art of Communicating and Making Space)

The more oxygen you get in your lungs, the less shortness of breath and anxious you feel. If you are skeptical about “new agey” practices such as mindfulness, just try some mindful breathing to focus your attention. It just may be a wellness and health strategy that works for you.

Contact Well Health Coach Jan jan@wellhealthyways.com